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We wanted to share an article written by The Telegraph about the current state of mental health and ways you can look to improve your mental health. One in 10 teenage girls are being referred to NHS specialist mental health services and one in three GP sick notes are for mental health reasons, but we are now in a time of great change for mental health.

There is a much greater awareness of mental health and whilst the health industry is much better equipped to help those suffering, the article discusses putting some of the onus back onto self-care regimes.

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At the last Just Breathe London Grand Gathering, Mr Adam Shulberg, Managing Director and Senior Audiologist from Cubex spoke about hearing, cognition and the health precautions we should all consider now to ensure our long term cognitive well-being.

Cubex recently started the UK’s first Mindfulness Based Auditory Cognitive Treatment Pathway to support individuals experiencing reduced hearing ability, tinnitus and cognitive fatigue. In addition to bringing mindfulness into the clinical environment we also partnered with the UK’s first Modern Mindfulness & Mass Meditation community, Just Breathe London to create a space to breath & positively affect the cultural fabric and cognitive health of our city. It provides a place for community, connection & culture with the vision to create an oasis of space amidst London’s hustle and bustle.

At each event real world relevance of a mindful way of living is shared. At each and every Grand Gathering, our community of experts in the medical, health & well being sector share some wise words.

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Every day we apply cognitive energy to navigate through our auditory world, especially when living in a loud, chaotic, fast paced city like London. For the most part we are unaware of the mental skills and effort involved. However, as our natural ability to hear starts to reduce, we become even more reliant on our cognitive skills to make sense of the world and this increases the load on our brains which is why it comes as no surprise that untreated audiological conditions can lead to anxiety, stress, depression, poorer communication and eventual isolation.

Repeated experiences of stress is actually damaging for brain health and halts the birth of new neurons. Fortunately, our brains have the remarkable ability to change and form new healthy neural connections, we call this neuroplasticity.

The act of mindfulness and regular meditation practice promotes the relaxation response in the brain and has the potential to encourage new neural network connections and reduce the levels of anxiety and stress that are usually associated with hearing loss and tinnitus.(1)It increases our capacity to notice what is happening around us, giving us a fuller perspective on the present moment and can help us improve our attention and ability to concentrate and focus on something specific while ignoring distractions. It enables us to intentionally shape the direction of our plasticity and change the way we respond to life’s challenges. Simply put, we can use our thoughts and our breath to positively influence our mental & physical physiology.

There are a variety of Meditation techniques, styles and guidelines to help put the mind at ease, increase mental clarity and improve cognitive reserve in the most effective way. There are a few easy and accessible practices that are relevant for the modern man or women. In this article we speak to Cubex Clinical Mindfulness & Wellness Programmes Facilitator, Michael James Wong about the small steps that we can take to start a process of cultivating well-being.Read more…

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Tinnitus is a sound only heard by the individual experiencing it and is commonly described as a ringing, buzzing or humming in the ear.

People who experience tinnitus become more aware of it in quieter environments and during moments of downtime, such as bed time. The awareness of ringing in the brain can lead to an inability to relax or sleep which in turn promotes stress and high levels of anxiety at a time when rest is needed the most. Some people find that focusing their attention on external sounds helps them hear the tinnitus less.

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According to an international study in the Lancet, one in three cases of dementia could be prevented if more people looked after their brain health throughout life.

It is currently estimated that 47 million people are living with Dementia at the moment. By 2050, This number could reach 131 million people globally.

The study explores the lifestyle factors that play a major role in reducing the risk of dementia and examines the benefits of building a “cognitive reserve”, which means strengthening the brain’s networks so it can continue to function in later life despite damage.

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Just Breathe London – Volume 6

With all the challenges and demands of life, we can benefit from a strategy to help us manage stress and fatigue, especially if you experience the effects of the cognitive load from reduced hearing ability and/or tinnitus. Learning to manage stress is the most powerful way of ensuring that life is fun, fulfilling and creative. There are many scientifically validated benefits from a regular mindfulness and meditation practice.

Increased brain function

Increased immune function

Decreased stress, anxiety and depression

Greater energy and vitality

Increased emotional stability

Increased focus and concentration

Greater feeling of happiness and well-being

We feel honoured and privileged to have recently partnered with the UK’s first Modern Mindfulness & Mass Meditation community, Just Breathe London.

Launched in 2016, Just Breathe is a fast growing community with a mission to make the practice of mindfulness and meditation accessible to anyone and everyone. The aim is simple, to create a space to breath & positively affect the cultural fabric and cognitive health of our city. It provides a place for community, connection & culture with the vision to create an oasis of space amidst London’s hustle and bustle. Almost a year later and now in full stride, the events, workshops & Grand Gatherings provide an opportunity for Londoners to step into less.Read more…

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We are so excited to be giving away 3 pairs of weekend tickets to Soul Circus Yoga & Wellness Festival taking place in Gloucester on 18th-20th August. The tickets are worth £400 per pair and include access to all workshops, yoga, classes and entertainment. We were lucky enough to experience the first ever Soul Circus festival in 2016 which consisted of so many high points that we had to share news of the second festival with you. Enter for your chance to win at the bottom of this page.

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Sitting at a desk all day can wreak havoc on the body. The human skeleton, with its 206 bones, and 112 joints that facilitate movement of this structure, is literally designed to move. However finding the time, and perhaps more crucially, the energy to move more can be difficult. Start off slowly, aiming to add 10-15 minutes of extra movement into your day, throughout the week and weekend, and you may find that your energy levels start to improve. Increase the duration of your activity as you start to feel the benefit of using your body how it’s been designed to be used!!